Adjustable strike



1963 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,416,828

ADJUSTABLE STRIKE Filed June 23, 1967 17250 J. RusssLL 2/6/4420 L. HRMSTEO/UG 1142 OLQ W FALK 1 N VEN TORS United States Patent 3,416,828 ADJUSTABLE STRIKE Fred J. Russell, 8635 Otis St., South Gate, Calif. 90280,

and Richard L. Armstrong, Santa Fe Springs, and

Harold W. Falk, Inglewood, Califi; said Armstrong and Falk assignors to said Fred J. Russell Filed June 23, 1967, Ser. No. 648,434 6 Claims. (Cl. 292341.18)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to door lock hardware and, in particular, to an adjustable strike plate which is mounted on the door frame and which, upon installation as well as subsequent to installation, can be adjusted in a lateral or transverse direction so as to provide a snug engage ment wit-h a conventional latch bolt. Since there is a certain limit to the accuracy with which a carpenter can work when mounting a strike plate on a door frame so as to coincide with the location of a lock installed in a door, it is customary to allow for a certain amount of freedom, so that the latch bolt will enter the hole in the strike plate when the door is closed against the door stop. This means that the door might rattle slightly after closing. The invention here disclosed embodies a strike plate having two parts which can be adjusted, one with respect to the other, when the parts are mounted on a door frame. More particularly, the invention includes the provision of flanges at the transverse edges of the bolt hole in at least one of the plates which press against the edges of the bolt hole in the other plate, when the parts are drawn together by the screw which fastens them both to the door frame in their properly adjusted position with respect to the latch bolt.

In recognition of the need for providing some form of adjustment for a strike plate, various attempts have been made in the past to provide strike plates havin multiple parts adjustable one with respect to the other. One of the difliculties encountered by previous attempts to provide adjustable strike plates has been the provision of some means for making certain that adjustable multiple parts of a strike plate hold their adjusted position once they have been fastened together. To overcome this difficulty, prior devices have resorted to bolts and lock washers, serrated engaging surfaces, and often a somewhat bulky and expensive construction to permit building into the devices the necessary degree of security from maladjustment. Some prior art devices of this kind are exemplified by Patents Nos. 3,257,139; 2,695,807 and 1,297,- 528.

In an attempt to make adjustable strike plates simple in character, some prior art devices have resorted to a flange at the edge of the latch bolt hole which can be bent slightly by means of a screwdriver, once installed, in order to engage the latch bolt when it enters the hole. Unfortunately such a tab only engages the end of the latch bolt, and such a tab is susceptible to bending back. It does not bend at the radius.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable strike device which has ample latitude in its adjustment capabilities and which, at the same time, is one capable of firmly holding its adjustment, once the parts have been interlocked in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved multiple piece adjustable strike device having parts of simple construction which interlock.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved multiple part adjustable strike device which is relatively flat and compact, so that it will present a neat 3,416,828 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 appearance when in place on a door frame, but which will be capable of adjustment and readjustment by simple means, whenever that might become necessary.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fragment of door frame showing one form of adjustable strike device mounted in position.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an underside plan View of the device of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an underside plan view of a device somewhat similar to that of FIGURES 1 through 4 inclusive, but showing a slight variation in the interlocking elements.

FIGURE 6 is an underside plan view somewhat similar to the device of FIGURE 5, but showing still another variation.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a section of door frame showing a second form of the invention mounted in place.

FIGURE 8 is an underside plan view of the device of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 99 of FIGURE 8.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown a door frame 10 upon which is a door stop consisting of a stop 11, the door frame 10 and stop being of substantially conventional construction. In the door frame 10 is a hole 12 of ample breadth, height, and depth to more than accommodate a conventional latch bolt (not shown). A recess 13 is made surrounding the hole 12 to permit the adjustable strike device to be set into the door frame 10, flush with a surface 14 of the door frame 10, as can best be seen in FIGURE 2.

The adjustable strike device consists of two plate elements, namely an overlying plate element 15 and an underlying plate element16. In this form of device, the underlying plate element 16 is provided with a strike lip 17 which overhangs an edge 18 of the door frame 10.

In the central portion of the underlying plate element 16 are upper and lower transverse edges 19 and 20, respectively, which also, in the present instance, include respective flanges 21 and 22. The edges 19, 20 may make an angle of degrees with respect to the plane of the underlying plate element 16 or an angle slightly less than 90 degrees, so as to extend into the hole '12. A vertical edge 23 may also be provided with a flange 24. The edges 19, 20, and 23 form a substantially rectangular opening somewhat smaller than the hole 12.

The overlying plate element 15 has a longitudinally spaced transverse edges 25 and 26, likewise provided with respective flanges 27 and 28. These flanges 27 and 28 may also be bent at approximately 90 degrees with respect to the plane of the overlying plate element 15, or slightly less, so as to project to that extent inwardly with respect to the hole 12. A longitudinal edge 29 forms with the edges 25 and 26 a somewhat rectangular opening roughly coinciding with the opening formed by the edges of the underlying plate element 16 and somewhat smaller than the hole 12.

From an examination of FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the transverse edges 19 and 20 of the underlying plate element 16 are pitched at angles so that the edges approach each other in a direction away from the strike lip 17, as do also the transverse edges 25 and 26.

To provide for fastening the plate elements together in adjusted relationship and to the door frame 10, the overlying plate element 15 is provided with screw holes 30 and 31, and the underlying plate element 16 is provided with complementary screw slots 32 and 33, respectively, to accommodate screws 34 and 35.

When the adjustable strike device is to be mounted upon and adjusted with respect to the door frame and the approximate edges of the hole 12 therein, the plate elements are placed one in engagement with the other in the recess 13, which places them in position overlying the hole 12 in approximate relationship. The overlying elements are then adjusted in approximate location transversely with respect to each other and the screws 34 and 35 started into the door frame 10. The location of the overlying plate element 15 thereby becomes fixed, but there still remains freedom of adjustment for the underlying plate element 16. The underlying plate element 16 is then carefully adjusted in a transverse direction to accommodate the position of the latch bolt (not shown) and the screws 34 and 35 then driven home. As the screws 34 and 35 draw the overlying plate element 15 downwardly against the underlying plate element 16 and against the door frame 10, the flanges 27 and 28 of the overlying plate element 15 are then forced against the edges 19 and of the underlying plate element 16, frictionally engaging those edges. It need be, the flanges 27 and 28 of the overlying plate element 15 yield slightly during this initial adjustment. Once locked in place, the frictional engagement is suflicient to anchor the underlying plate element 16 in its adjusted position. It is significant that the angular disposition of the flanges 27 and 28 is such that the flanges resist any tendency of the strike plate to be dislodged in a transverse direction outwardly toward the edge 18 of the door frame 10, as might tend to happen should a force away from the stop 11 be exerted upon a door while the latch bolt is in engagement with the device.

Should any readjustment be necessary, due to a warping in the door, for example, the screws 34, 35 can be loosened and the underlying plate element 16 shifted in position, after which the screws 34, 35 are again driven into position to hold the parts in the new position. Should the shift be such as to cause a loosening of the frictional engagement of the flanges 27 and 28 with the respective edges 19 and 20 of the underlying plate element 16, the overlying plate element 15 can be temporarily removed, the flanges 27, 28 bent slightly, and then reapplied so that there will be an abundance of frictional engagement.

FIGURES 5 and 6 show substantially the same relationship of overlying and underlying plate elements as in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 4, but the angular disposition of the transverse edges is varied slightly, primarily to emphasize that the precise angular relationship is not critical. For example, in FIGURE 5 transverse edges 19' and 20' of the underlying plate element 16' have an angular disposition noticeably directed toward each other, whereas transverse edges and 26 of an overlying plate element 15 are parallel or almost parallel with respect to each other. Flanges 27, 28' overlie the transverse edges 19, 20' which, for convenience and dress, include flanges 21' and 22, respectively. Despite the fact that the respective flanges of the two plate elements do not have the same angular disposition with respect to each other, nevertheless, the presence of an angular disposition of the edges 19', 20' is such that they tend to interlock with the flanges 27', 28, thereby to resist any tendency of the underlying plate element 16' being shifted away from the stop 11.

In a similar, but slightly varied disposition of parts as exemplified in FIGURE 6, transverse edges 19", 20" of an underlying plate element 16" are positioned so that there is an angle formed between them, the edges 19" and 20" converging toward each other in a direction away from the strike lip 17, although the transverse edge 19" is at substantially a degree angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the respective underlying plate element 16", flanges 21 and 22" being supplied for dressing up the appearance in the same manner as previously noted.

Transverse edges 25", 26 of an overlying plate element 15 are arranged at substantially a complementary angular relationship and provided with respective flanges 27" and 28". Here again, the angular disposition is such that once locked in place, the underlying plate element 16" will be locked in position against dislodgement of the strike lip 17 outwardly away from the stop 11.

In the form of invention of FIGURES 7, 8, and 9, the underlying, overlying relationship of plate elements is reversed. In this instance, an overlying plate element 40, provided with a strike lip 41 has transverse edges 42 and 43 and longitudinal edges 44 and 45 forming an opening through the overlying plate element 40. Flanges 46 and 47 are provided for the respective transverse edges 42 and 43 and a flange 48 is provided for the longitudinal edge 44. An underlying plate element 50 has longitudinally spaced transverse edges 51 and 52 and a longitudinal edge 53 forming a rectangular opening roughly coinciding with the opening formed in the overlying plate element 40. In this instance, the overlying plate element 40 is provided with screw slots 54 and 55, whereas the underlying plate element 54) is provided with screw holes 56 and 57, to accommodate screws 58 and 5-9 respectively.

In applying and adjusting the device of FIGURES 7, 8, and 9, substantially the same procedure is followed as has already been described in that the plate elements are placed in position overlying each other and the hole 12 in the door frame 10 and the screws 58, 59 started into position. This fixes the position of the underlying plate element 5%, but leaves opportunity for the requisite adjustment of the overlying plate element 40. When the overlying plate element 40 has then been shifted to a desired transverse position for proper and snug adjustment, the screws 58 and 59 are driven into position. This serves to draw the flanges 46 and 47 into frictional engagement with the exposed edges 51 and 52, respectively, of the underlying plate element 50. The relationship of the angles is such that once in position, the flanges 46, 47 prevent dislodgement of the overlying plate element 40 bearing the strike lip 41 outwardly away from the stop 11. It will further be apparent that there is no necessity for providing flanges except on the overlying plate element of whichever form of device is being used. The underlying plate element can be devoid of flanges since the flanges on the overlying plate element are the expedient relied upon to draw the respective plate elements into frictional engagement. Moreover, although flange 24 has been referred to on the vertical edge 23 of the underlying plate element 16, the presence of such flange also is not needed for any functional contribution to the invention. The same comment applies to the flange 48 of the overlying plate element 40 of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be a practical and effective embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom Within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims, so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable lock strike plate assembly for mounting on a door frame on which is a door stop, said assembly comprising an overlying plate element and an underlying plate element, said plate elements being adapted to be mounted on the frame adjacent the stop, one of said plate elements having an opening therein with longitudinally spaced transverse edges, the other of said plate elements having an opening of substantially complementary shape and size, said last opening having longitudinally spaced transverse edges sloping at an angle relative to each other, said last identified edges having flanges extending into the opening of the first identified plate element, said flanges having a frictional engagement with the respective transverse edges of the other plate element, and screw means extending through said plate elements and into the door frame holding said plate elements in fixed position with said door frame.

2. An adjustable lock strike plate assembly as in claim 1, wherein the transverse edges of one plate element are in a different transverse angular relationship to each other than are the transverse edges of the other plate element.

3. An adjustable lock strike plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of said plate elements has holes therein, with each hole located adjacent to and spaced from one of said transverse edges, the other of said plate elements having a slot spanning each respective hole, whereby to enable said plate elements to be shifted transversely relative to each other.

4. An adjustable lock strike plate assembly as in claim 3, wherein the plate element in engagement with the door frame has the holes and the other plate element has the slots.

5. An adjustable lock strike plate assembly as in claim 3, wherein the plate element in engagement with the door has the slots and the other plate element has the holes.

6. An adjustable lock strike plate assembly as in claim 1, wherein there are flanges on the transverse edges of both said plate elements making complementary angles with respect to the respective plate element, said flanges being in frictional nested relationship when assembled in adjusted position on the door frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,891 8/1938 Starling 292341.18 X 2,798,754 7/1957 Russell 292341.l8 2,884,277 4/1959 Hale 292341.18

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

